Improvement in machines for leveling and sweeping roads and tracks



- AVE. MOOERS'. v Machine for Leveling and Sweeping Roads andTraoks.

No. 222,362. Patented Dec. 9,1879.

Fig.3. 1 4A. I 1i mfnesses. Int/011i? N. PETERS. PHOTD LITHOGRAPHER WASHINGTONv D C.

UNIT D STATES PATENT OFFI E ALTON H. MOOERS, .OF NORTH RIDGEVILLE, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT IN MACHINES FOR LEVELING AND SWEEPING ROADS AND TRACKS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 222,362, dated December 9, 1879 application filedv August 15, 1879.

and leveled and then swept as to leave the' face of the roadway in smooth and even condition suitable for either ordinary travel or the race-course.

The machine for this purpose consists of a rotary clod-crusher, arranged near the front of the machine and an adjustable leveling-roller in the rear, between the said roller and clodcrusher two scrapers being placed, one parallel and the other with a brush attachment in an angular position or relation to the roller and crusher, the front end of the machine being connected with and supported by a truck in such way as to admit of raising and lowering the scrapers and clod-crusher to and from the ground, as may be required. The

' adjustable roller is also so arranged as to admit of its being raised or lowered to suit the various required conditions of the road.

For a more full and complete description of the invention reference will be had to the following specification, and to the accompanying drawings, making part of the same, in

which- Figure 1 is a side view; Fig. 2, a top view;

I and Figs. 3 and 4 are detached sections.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several views.

The frame of the machine consists of side pieces or runners,A A, with cross-ties B B.

To the front end is connected a truck, 0, Figs. 1 and 2, the axle of which is pivoted to the bar D at a, and the bar D is secured to the pivotal brace B. The pivots of this brace are seen at b. To the piece E or the tie B is hinged the lever F at c, Fig. 1. The lower end, G, of the lever F extends forward under the bar D.

By means of this lever acting on the bar D,

J and the front end of the bar being supported by and pivoted to the truck 0, the front'end of the machine, with the rotary clod-crusher H, can be raised and lowered to and from the ground, as the nature of the case may require,

and,by means of the rack and catch at I, held in the position required, the truck supporting and carrying the front end of the machine. 1 The rotary lump and clod crusher is composed of a series of cutters, and has its bearingat d in the sides of the machine, and may be made entire or in sections and secured to the shaft 6 by any suitable means, the edge or periphery being either plain or serrated, as seen in Fig. 4. Directly in the rear of the rotary crusher is secured a scraper, J, the front lower edge of which extends forward, and is in line with or a little lower than the sides of the machine, and in the rear of the scraper J is secured to the frame a diagonal scraper, K, with an adjustable brush, L, in front, as seen in Figs. 1 and 2. Said brush is secured to the scraper by bolts fitting in slotted, bolt-holes to allow of its vertical adjustment.

The scrapers may be also rendered adj ustable, so that one scraper may be so set or adjusted as to extend and scrape deeper into the ground than the other, by securing the metal edge of the scraper to the wooden part thereof with bolts fitting in slotted bolt-holes, so that said metal scraping-edge can be raised orlowered, as the case may be.

The diagonal scraper is ordinarily a little lower than the front scraper, for the purpose of finishing the scraping of the road, the brush aiding in sweeping of small stones, chips,

sticks, &c.

The brush may be so set and the machine so adjusted that the brush only will extend to the surface of the road or street, by which means sweeping may be effectually done withoutusin g the scrapers. A detached view of the scraper is seen in Fig. 3.

To the rear end of the frame is connected the roller M, having its journals in adjustable arms N, Fig.1, which arms are hinged to the sides of the frame A at f, which allows the roller to be raised and lowered. To the outer end of each arm is jointed alever, O, and each lever has its fulcrum at h on the adjustable standard P, Fig. 1, there being one on each side of the machine; also, on each side is a rack and catch, as indicated at lt, for holding the two levers in position; and also the roller M, by means of said levers, may be raised and lowered a greater or less distance from the ground, as the condition of the road may require.

The team is attached to the tongue S, and the operator is seated at T, which is convenient for operating the machine and managing the horses. By means of the lever F, acting in connection with the bar D and truck 0, the front end of the machine may be raised and lowered, and by means of the levers R R the roller may be raised more or less from the ground, and also the rear end of the machine, by pressing the said roller upon the ground, as the rear end of the machine will be raised in accordance with the elevation of the levers It It, and the depression of the roller will correspond.

By means of this machine the rough hard clods or lumps of earth can be readily broken up with the rotary crusher, and the road scraped and leveled down smoothly by the scrapers, the surplus dirt, stones, and other loose material upon the track being discharged by the diagonal scraper at the side.

In case a clean smooth road or race-track is required, the brush may be employed for sweeping the same either separately or in connection with the scraper.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a combined machine for the purposes set forth, the brace B, pivoted to the front end of the sides, with the bar D, attached to the said brace and pivoted to the axle of the truck, in combination with the lever F, substantially as described.

2. In a machine for the purpose set forth, the rotary crusher H and scrapers J and K, the front end of said machine having a hinged or jointed connection with a truck for supporting and carrying the same, and at the rear end provided with a roller journaled in bars N N, hinged to the side pieces, A A, and connected with the levers 0 O, for adjusting said roller, all combined substantially as described, and for the purpose specified.

ALTON HENRY MOOERS.

Witnesses:

J. H. BURRIDGE, M ARK L. DEERING. 

